


Where Demons Dwell

by MelodramaticCoffeeAddict



Series: A Walk Through Hell [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Connected to Another AU, Film Gold Au, Film Z au, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Nami, Protective Roronoa Zoro, Strong World au, Trust Issues, Violence, Zoro is an idiot, but we knew this, dual viewpoints, scottish mythology - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 07:09:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15456018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelodramaticCoffeeAddict/pseuds/MelodramaticCoffeeAddict
Summary: “You know what your real problem is, Zoro? Why you're so stuck on this training kick? Because you refuse to believe that. You refuse to think that you have other choices.” She slams the vial against the burn free spot on his chest. Waits until his hand comes up to catch it before she lets go. “For all the time you spent worrying that we didn't believe in you. Didn't want you. Didn't trust you. You never once trusted us.”orThe One Piece films meet my Guide!Zoro AU





	1. Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A super long note that I didn't want to scrunch into a small space

Hello all you wonderful, glorious people! A few weeks ago, I started writing a fic called  _Where Angels Don’t Tread,_ an AU in which Zoro is far more than human. Since then, that fic has gotten so much love. It currently sits behind only two other fics in terms of kudos amounts - both of which were posted at least a month ahead of it. This tells me that you guys really like this fic. Every comment I've received brings a smile to my face and I'm ecstatic that you've all enjoyed it so much.

Most of you noticed I've caught up with the manga and I finally understand the pain of needing to have some filler handy. I don't intend to wait too far into Wano, but I'd at least like a little bit more information before I finish out Part Three. But, I don't want to lose heart or have anyone lose interest in that fic. Because damn is it fun to write!

So, this will be my “filler”. _Where Demons Dwell_ is a collection of the One Piece movies that take place in my mythical!Zoro AU. None of them are connected nor will they have an effect of  _Where Angels Don’t Tread,_ just as the movies have no effect on the manga. So far, I plan on only doing the big three movies [the ones with Oda’s involvement], which would be  _Strong World_ ,  _Film Z_ , and  _Film Gold._ Each film gets its own chapter with its own title. I plan on using these to do some more character development, introduce some things you'll see in Part Three [so as not to bog down the main storyline too much], and for some fun. In all honesty, I'm mostly using these fics as an excuse to keep writing this AU! It's so much fun!

For those of you who have already read  _Where Angels Don’t Tread,_ I really hope you enjoy some of the side works in here!

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, shoot on over to my page and check out  _Where Angels Don’t Tread,_ an AU that stretches from the first Zoro/Mihawk meeting to present. The AU involves the legend of the Cu Sith, a figure of death in Scottish and Irish mythology that often appears in the form of a large green dog. Without reading the original fic, you may find yourself a bit confused.

If you guys want to see one of the other One Piece movies in this AU world, let me know! I'd be happy to look into the film and see if I can work some Guide magic on it!


	2. The Terms of Breaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“You know what your real problem is, Zoro? Why you're so stuck on this training kick? Because you refuse to believe that. You refuse to think that you have other choices.” She slams the vial against the burn free spot on his chest. Waits until his hand comes up to catch it before she lets go. “For all the time you spent worrying that we didn't believe in you. Didn't want you. Didn't trust you. You never once trusted us.”_
> 
> or
> 
> Tesoro is a little smarter than most of their opponents and Zoro learns an important lesson in the matters of weakness, trust, and nakama

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re going to be starting with Film Gold. Originally, I was going to follow the films in their chronological order. But then I started plotting and this one just hit me so good. I got excited and I knew this story had to come first. Since Zoro isn’t in most of this film, I’ve decided to drop into Nami’s POV. I know that so far, everything has followed Zoro, but I thought maybe we’d try something different. As she’s the only character that has Zoro’s confirmation in being beyond mortal, she seems like the most logical choice. I’ll be changing between the two of them throughout the fic. I also thought that Zoro’s become a bit OP in this fic series. So, after some heavy research, I’ve decided to introduce a special kind of iron, infused with an herb, both of which are supposed to be dangerous to fae, which is what the Cu Sith fall under. Buxus (or Boxwood as a non-scientific name) Iron would be the Guide’s form of Seastone. It drains their energy, prevents them from healing, and - in Zoro’s case - causes heavy injuries.
> 
> I also have this headcanon, where Nami 100% refuses to not know at least a little bit about fighting. And, I figured, who better to teach her than our favorite, emotionally constipated halfling? I really wanted to hit up some Nami/Zoro nakamaship. I don't see it much and I think they have a great dynamic. Plus, Nami is the only person who 100% knows what Zoro is in this fic series. Brook has his suspicions and Sanji now knows there is definitely something more than a lost marimo. But Nami is the only one who knows. So, I thought watching her play big sister (even if she's younger) might be fun. 
> 
> Enjoy all!

_ “Is fheàrr Gàidhlig bhriste na Gàidhlig sa chiste.” _ ~ a Scottish Gaelic Proverb   
**Translation:** It is better to have broken Gaelic than dead Gaelic.

* * *

“Get up,” Zoro orders.

Nami ignores him and stares at the crows’ nest ceiling. Her chest heaves. Sweat cascades down her body and plasters her loose hair to her face. The Clima-Tact sits loosely in her hand. Waits patiently for her to stand up again. 

Every part of her body aches. Her back and butt drum a little harder than everything else. Probably because Zoro has picked up a habit of tossing her onto them. 

Zoro’s face moves into her vision. The shirtless swordsman hasn’t even broken a sweat yet. He frowns down at her. Eyebrow raised with impatience. 

“Get up,” he tells her again.

“You know.” Nami pushes herself up with a groan and rolls her shoulders. “You’re doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“That thing where you open your mouth and sound comes out.”

He rolls his eye, though a smile fights against his lips. “You mean telling you what to do?”

“Yeah. Stop doing that.”

Zoro loses the battle and lets out a laugh.

“I need a break,” Nami says, setting the Clima-Tact on her lap.

“Nami, we haven’t even been at this an hour yet.”

“I’m well aware of that. But, unlike some people, I’m not an immortal monster.”

“Not immortal,” Zoro mumbles. He drops to the floor to join her anyway. 

Nami smiles and falls back to the floor again. Her joints crack and groan against the hard floor while Zoro settles into a cross legged position beside her. In the corner, the lantern flickers away. Trying to calm itself in the wake of their movements. 

“I don’t know why you keep doing this,” Nami admits softly, throwing an arm over her eyes.

A questioning grunt is Zoro’s reply. Even after all these months - sneaking up to the crows’ nest during one of their night watches to train - Zoro still mostly communicates in grunts and hums. Not that she’s surprised. Zoro will always be Zoro. And Nami’s alright with that. 

“I’m never going to be as strong as you,” she tells him.

Silence hangs around them. Nami moves her arm to look up at him. Never, in her life, has she seen Zoro look so thoughtful. His quiet consideration lasts for what seems like forever. Eye moving up and down Nami’s body before he finally falls back beside her to look up at Sunny’s ceiling.

“We never know how strong we are,” Zoro tells her, eye locked above. “Until it’s the only choice we have left.”

The air swirls heavy around them. Thick with insight that Nami didn’t know Zoro had. She turns her head to look at him, catches his gaze when he sits up again. Words stick to her throat as she struggles to understand the sad longing in his eyes. 

“Did you run out of choices?” she finally asks.

Zoro’s brow furrows in a thoughtful frown before he snorts. “Get up, Nami.”

 

 

Zoro couldn’t give two shits about the floating city of gold. He thinks it’s kind of a waste of time. They have far more important things to do than play in some stupid casino. But, Luffy is all for play. And, after the disaster of Dressrosa, Zoro supposes they could use a break. Though, he would prefer they take that break somewhere else. 

Something feels off about the island. From the moment step foot on the island, Zoro feels the undertone of Death. Death, hopelessness, despair. The others can't sense it. Happily playing games and enjoying the glitz and glamour around them. They don't realize it until it’s too late. Until gold hardens around Zoro and he can't move. Until Tesoro leers over them and tells them it's money or Zoro’s death. 

Nami wants to tell him exactly where to stick that offer. He sees it burning in her eyes. Neither she nor Brook look as unnerved as the others. Both calm in the face of the threat. Because they know. Nami has seen Zoro in the In-Between. And Brook saw him with Kuma. They know, no matter what Tesoro does to him, death isn't an option.

Not an option for Zoro, anyway. The rest of them have the gold on them as well, little flacks that everyone missed raining down on them. And that could very well damage his nakama.

Nami’s sharp gaze catches his. Zoro gives her a nod. Watches her jaw clench as she turns the others away from him despite their protests.

Once Tesoro’s guard is down, Zoro will sink into the In-Between and kill the bastard. Save his nakama. Then they can get the hell off this pain in the ass island.

 

 

Brook settles beside Nami while the others sleep. Prepared for their rescue attempt. She dragged planning out for as long as possible. Tried to keep Luffy from doing anything too reckless. Zoro’s hard glare told her one thing,  _ don’t interfere _ . The swordsman seemed perfectly confident he could handle the situation without their help. She gave him the opportunity. But, as night falls, they're still on Tesoro’s island and Zoro has yet to make his grand reappearance.

“Perhaps,” Brook says after a beat of silence. “Zoro-san a bit too tired to use his powers today.”

She glances up at the skeleton. Subdued compared to his normal, fiery personality. “Maybe.”

Doubt lingers on her tongue. 

“Don’t fret, Nami-san. Zoro-san can’t. Well, he can’t die, can he?”

She pulls her knees to her chest, rests her chin on them as she stares out at the city, illuminated by golden lights.

“No,” she agrees. “But he can hurt.”

 

 

“Interesting.”

Burning hot liquid gold wraps around Zoro’s leg for the second time. He slams to the ground, Kitetsu and Shusui ripped from his grasp. The two gold cocoons that held him previously sit empty across the room. Gold unable to follow him as he moved his body to the In-Between.

“Seawater does nothing to you, so this isn't a Devil Fruit.” Tesoro eyes him critically. “Tell me, Roronoa, what exactly are you?”

“Your Death,” Zoro sneers. Lets himself sink to the In-Between again. The gold disappears. Replaced by the Sunny’s boards. He dives through the veil again. 

“Zoro,” his father calls. “Wait a minute. He knows-"

Zoro’s through the veil and slashing Wado down at Tesoro before he finishes. The casino owner grins wildly as more gold stops Zoro in his tracks. 

“It can’t be,” he t’sks. “Half breeds are only a rumor, aren't they?”

Zoro’s blood runs cold. Eye widens with surprise. Not even Doflamingo figured it out. Nor had Kuma. Both so convinced he was more than mortal, but unable to understand exactly what he was. 

How did this small fry, eyesore figure it out?

A fresh wave of gold consumes him and  _ burns _ . Pain so sudden and sharp that Zoro lets out a cry of pain before he realizes it. The smell of scalding flesh fills his nose. Brings tears to his eye. He grips at the veil blindly. Tries to pull himself back to the In-Between. Free himself from the burning liquid.

Tesoro’s smirk widens. “So you are. I've only had the pleasure of hearing about your kind.”

The gold pulls Zoro to the ground. Forces his arms away from his body and hardens around him. Nothing budges. No matter how hard he struggles. Panic drums at his chest. He can't reach the In-Between. Can't stop the pain. The burn.

“I've had this for quite some time, Roronoa,” Tesoro says as Zoro’s chest heaves. Tries to calm against the agony every gold covered inch of him feels. “A very dear friend of mine once warned me that gold couldn't stop Death. I thought he meant my own death, but no. He told me the story of creatures we can't see. Dogs that wear the face of men. Lead us to the afterlife. And the only way we could tell the difference who they were was by their abnormally green hair.”

Zoro calls for the In-Between again. The world fuzzes and blurs around him. His body tries desperately to escape. But Tesoro’s golden room remains.

“He left me with a gift. Something his elders insisted could ward off the harbingers of death. I thought he was insane, until a giant green beast came to me during sickness. Tried to drag me to death. So, I melted down the gift he left me. A crucifix made of a special iron.”

Breath catches in Zoro’s throat. Panic consumes him as realization strikes. He remembers his father warning him when he was young. Invincible as he may feel, not even Guides are immune to everything. Buxus Iron is rare, but those who find it and know what it's for can do dangerous things with it.

Like trap Guides in the mortal world. Steal their energy. Keep them from healing. Make them vulnerable.

“And I mixed that iron with gold so that I could use it however I please.” Tesoro breathes deeply. A feral grin on his face. “Smells like something’s burning.”

The gold tightens. Presses the iron further into Zoro’s skin. He bites his lip. Tastes blood as he struggles not to scream. Beneath the gold, he can feel his body attempting to heal. Pulling new flesh over each burn. Creating more and more agony.

“Now, this,” Tesoro smirks. “This will be fun.”

 

 

“Will you idiots get up already!” Nami slams a fist on Luffy’s head. 

Her captain yelps and jumps awake. Accidently throws Chopper across the room.

“Ow, Nami!” Luffy whines. “That's mean!”

Nami glares at him. “We have work to do."

Luffy pouts. Rubs his head. “We can’t do anything until it’s nighttime. You said so yourself.”

“That doesn’t mean we can't go over the plan again, you numbskull. Zoro’s life is on the line! We need to make sure there’s no flaws in this plan.”

She tunes out Luffy’s whine of “Zoro’s fine". Tries not to get angry. Luffy, despite the fact that he and Zoro read each other very well, hasn’t yet figured out that his swordsman is far beyond normal. And, if Zoro hasn’t returned to them yet, it’s because he can't.

 

 

Someone needs to get Tesoro a dictionary. He and Zoro have very different definitions of the word “fun". Zoro thinks its watches the cook get rejected. Or Chopper dance around after praise. Tesoro seems to think “fun" is punching Zoro repeatedly in the face and forcing Buxus Iron infused gold down his throat.

A few harsh coughs spill most of it from his throat, but Zoro’s left gasping for air. His throat closes in on him. Restricts his air flow. 

“I wonder how much it would take to make you mine.” Tesoro moves entirely too close. A strange glint in his eyes. “How much can you take before you'll do anything to make the pain stop?”

Zoro’s lips tremble as he forces a sneer to his face. “Fuck. You.”

The psychopath laughs. “Maybe I'll keep you. I could use a man of your talents.”

His hand moves into striking distance. Full with the intent of caressing Zoro’s cheek. Like hell is Zoro letting that happen. Most of his energy goes into moving. Sinking his teeth into Tesoro’s fingers as they brush his skin. The sweet taste of someone else’s blood fills his mouth. Tesoro screams in pain and surprise. Rips his hand away. Gold shoots onto the left side of Zoro’s face. Burns against his skin.

Pain finally overloads Zoro’s brain. He lets his mind sink away from awareness. His body may be stuck, but he can still drop to the In-Between in spirit, like he used to.

The switch does nothing to stop the pain. Even laying on Sunny’s board, Zoro’s spirit is painted with the Buxus Iron. Agony throws itself at him again and again as he writhes on the floor.

Vaguely, he's aware of his father. Telling him to relax. To breathe through it. Fuck that. Zoro would rather take Luffy’s pain a hundred more times than feel this.

In the back of his mind, he hears Tesoro speaking. Still shouting at his physical being. Suspended by gold while Zoro’s mind locks itself in the In-Between. Desperate for even the smallest bit of relief.

“Concentrate on the sound of my voice, Zoro,” his father orders.

He can’t. Zoro can't concentrate on anything other than the horrible smell of his body burning. The way his nerve ending scream in protest as his body tries to heal only to be burned again in an endless paradox of agony.

“Luffy.” His captain's name escapes his lips in a desperate plea.

_ Luffy, please hurry. Luffy, please help me. _

 

 

Confidence races through Nami as she leads the group onward. Everything has fallen perfectly into place. Carina has whispered false plots in Tesoro’s ear. Luffy has no idea that there's a real plan. And Zoro is probably bored out of his skull waiting for them to show up. All on a perfect timetable.

By now, Nami should probably know when things go this smoothly, they're about to take a downward plunge. It doesn't hit her until they burst through the door. Until lights flood over them and their acting needs to begin. 

Confidence fades away as she takes in the scene before her. Tesoro and his goons standing, laughing and mocking them. A crowd cheers around them. And Nami expected all of that. She did. What she didn't expect was Zoro. Zoro hanging from a golden crucifix. Gold coating his body except for his chest and his face. A bit of more glimmers over his left cheek, spotted around his scar. Zoro, with his eye staring blankly at the ground. Blood dripping from his barely parted lips to form a small, red puddle against sparkling gold.

It can't be right. Zoro heals in an instant. Zoro, beyond-mortal Zoro, who ducks in and out of the space between life and death. Pulled her free - and the others too, she’s sure, but none of them ever seem to remember it - and snarled at any of the giant green dogs - Guides. He keeps telling her they're called Guides - that dare wander too close to his nakama. 

Nami’s stomach rolls. Nausea creeps up her throat. Her eyes refuse to move away from Zoro’s motionless form.

Tesoro laughs. A hollow, eerie sound. Gold sweeps around him. Morphs into steps that bring him up to Zoro and he twists his hand in Zoro’s hair, pulling his head up so they can see his face.

Angry patches of red, shriveled skin peek out from beneath the gold. On his face. His neck. Even a few spots on his chest. Burns so horrifying, Nami can see them from a distance. Chopper whines somewhere beside her. A clear sign that Zoro is  _ not _ okay. The swordsman doesn't acknowledge them. Just keeps staring straight ahead with a blank, glossy eye.

“Had I not promised my good people a glorious execution,” Tesoro snickers. “I might have kept him for myself. A rarity that even the New World never sees. He got away quite a few times before I finally figured it out. It really was a pain. But, a little Buxus Iron in the gold and your brave halfbreed was little more than a shivering, pathetic mess.”

Sanji-kun lets out a roar of rage beside her. Shoots off the platform with wrath that can't be faked. Golden tendrils shoot up. Wrap around them and hold them tight. The others shout and cry around them. All of the fun and acts forgotten in the horror of seeing their swordsman.

Curse word after curse word leaves Sanji-kun’s mouth. Threats. Promises of death. Chopper, Usopp, and Brook yell for Zoro. Try to pull him out of the trance-like state. 

After a minute, Zoro blinks. Swallows back some of the blood and looks up at them. Despite the blood and burns, a sneer twists his face. He growls. Moves his shoulder in a vain attempt at escape. His gaze locked on Tesoro.

The casino master scoffs, a smug smirk across his lips, and raises a hand. More gold grows up the right side of Zoro’s neck, inches toward his cheek. Tears blur Nami’s vision as she watches him squirm. Head thrown back and jaw clenched to hold in a cry of pain. His name leaves her lips in a panicked scream, soaked in anguish and fury.

After a moment, Zoro’s movement ceases. His eye goes blank again. Body limp. But he's not dead. He can't be dead. He promised Nami he couldn't die until he wanted to. And if Zoro leaves them now, she'll drag him back to life so she can kill him herself.

 

 

Zoro hits the boards of Sunny’s crows nest hard with a scream tearing through his throat. Fresh fire engulfs him. Burns against his skin even in the In-Between. His body jerks, spazzes as he tries to rip the gold from his face but it remains.

“Zoro, you have to breathe through it,” his father tells him. 

Breathe through it. Easy for him to say. He isn't the one with fucking Buxus Iron burning into every inch of his skin.

Zoro has felt pain. Even if his injuries heal, they still hurt. But this. His flesh searing away. His energy being stolen from him. Injuries that will never heal right forming. And his nakama. Their screams reach through the veil. Slam into him, egg the pain on. This is agony. Pure torture. He wants it to stop. Needs it to stop. No matter what it takes. Even if it means -

“Don’t,” his father’s sharp voice snaps. “Even think it.”

Right. Even the mere consideration of Death could mean a Guide drags him to the Doors of Death. 

And he promised Nami he wouldn't die. No matter how much pain tears through him, he  _ promised. _

  
  


Seawater showers down. Frees them all. Nami’s sure somewhere above them, Luffy has shot into the area. But, at the moment, she couldn't care less. She rips the ridiculous outfit from her body and scrambles over to Zoro. 

Finally free of the golden prison, the swordsman doesn't even seem to have noticed the change. His breathing is shallow. Eye unfocused and staring at nothing. 

The burns. God, the burns. Nami smells the burnt flesh before she reaches him. Swallows hard to rid herself of the vomit as she rolls Zoro onto his back. Bits of his white jacket have vanished beneath his blistered skin, twisted up in the vain attempt at healing his body seems to have given up on. 

“Zoro.” His name leaves her lips wrapped in a sob. “Zoro.”

She longs to touch him but the thought makes her sick. What if she brushes the wrong spot and only causes more pain?

The sounds of battle reach her. Clashes of weapons. The smell of burning fabric as Sanji-kun dances around his enemies with a leg on fire. Luffy’s enraged battle cry. Somehow less angry than Nami feels. Perhaps the captain hasn't seen his swordsman yet. 

“Zoro.” Nami presses her shaking hands to his cheeks, careful to avoid the deep burns. “Zoro, please come back.”

Back from that place, the In-Between. Nami remembers him mentioning hovering there, after Kuma. Too in pain to wake. She hopes this isn't another case of that.

“Zoro, please. We need to move.”

The battle rages. Tesoro’s soldiers surround them in every side. The crowd flees in terror. 

“Nami!” Chopper cries as he scurries over. “Let me see. Let me see! Is he awake? Zoro? Zoro can you hear me?”

Zoro doesn't respond for him either. Just keeps staring blankly. Chopper rushes around the swordsman. Investigates the burns and bruises. Nami swallows hard as she watches him. Her breathe stuck in her throat. 

“These burns are severe. He's probably in shock,” Chopper tells her. “We need to get him back to Sunny.”

The young doctor bounces from foot to foot. His anxiety fills the air. Suffocates Nami, along with her own fear.

“Nami-san!”

Sanji-kun’s warning cry reaches Nami in time to see the oversized pain fanatic from the dice game running toward them. Gives her just enough time to grab her Clima-Tact and throw lightning at him. It stops him in his tracks but he dances around with pure joy.

A shiver races through Nami as he prances around. Asks for more. Then, he lunges toward them again. 

She won't be able to stop him. Nami isn't naive enough to believe that she could even come close to standing up to a powerhouse like this. Her hand tighten around the Clima-Tact anyway. Chopper is behind her. Chopper and an unresponsive Zoro. 

Sanji and Luffy are busy. The rest of the crew probably don't realize the danger they're in.

Zoro’s words from days earlier return to her. No one knows how strong they are until they run out of opportunities to be weak.

With her nakama behind her, being strong is the only choice Nami has left.

She throws another bolt at the man. Hears Chopper cry out from behind her. The lightning has no effect. He keeps flying toward her. A second bolt has less of an effect. Nami tries to think. Remember the things Zoro had taught her. Knows she should dodge. But, if she moves, he has a straight shot toward the others.

All Nami can think is that this is going to hurt. 

Then she blinks. Steel clings against steel. Warmth presses against her as Zoro appears, two katana crossed to absorb the impact. He grunts under the effort. Falling to a knee as he pushes the man back, away from Nami. 

“Zoro!”

She drops behind him. Steadies him as he coughs. Tetters backward. Sputters blood across his arm.

“Jump point.” Chopper shoots past them to knock the man down again when he tries to stand.

“Chopper,” Zoro wheezes as he steadies himself. “Get out of the way.”

Before Nami can protest, the swordsman shoots forward again. Black envelopes his arm as haki takes over and with a single slash, the man is down. Eyes rolled back in his head. The creepiest thing Nami has seen by far.

Zoro collapses to his knees again. Hacking and wheezing. His beloved white katana slips from his hand.

Chopper prances around him, even as Zoro pushes him away. Tremors shake his body and harsh coughs jerk him with incredible force. Nami scrambles after them. Heart in her throat as she drops beside the swordsman.

“Zoro, you're in shock,” Chopper yelps. “You need to lie down.”

“I'm fine,” he replies around a cough. 

Nami steadies him when he tries to stand again. Some of his burns have burst. Crimson blood and yellowing ooze leaking down his arm and staining his white coat.

“You're not,” Chopper whines. “These are third-degree burns. Some of them could be forth! You need to sit still.”

Across the way, Usopp screams in pain. Chopper and Nami hurry to stop Zoro as he tries to stand up again. His skin warms Nami’s hand as she presses down on his shoulder. Chopper orders her not to let him go anywhere before vanishing to help Usopp.

“What's happening?” Nami asks once the doctor vanishes. “Why aren't you healing?”

Zoro flinches at the rising pitch of her voice. Another cough moves him. More blood spills past his lips. “Buxus Iron.”

She grips his shoulders gently. Tries to avoid to spots where fabric has sunk into burns. “What is that?”

“It’s like seastone for Guides.” Zoro’s teeth begin to chatter. “Drains their energy. And prolonged exposure.” He pauses to cough. “Can cause. Serious damage.”

“That's what did this?”

He nods. “I'll heal like a mortal.” His teeth grit. Face scrunches pain. “He mixed it in with his gold. I think. I think some of it got into my blood.”

Fear steals Nami’s breath. Her chest squeezes. Heart pounds. “What does that mean?”

A shaky smile crosses his lips. “I'll live. It just. It makes everything hurt.”

Nami nods. “Okay.”

One of Tesoro’s men sail passed them. The smell of scalding flesh can only be from Sanji-kun’s kick. Nami pulls her gaze from Zoro to look at the carnage around them.

“We should get you out of the middle of all this,” she tells him.

“I can fight.”

“You try it and I'll raise your debt by five hundred percent,” Nami says firmly. She pulls his arm over her shoulder and begins to rise.

Zoro’s lets out a laugh mixed in with a cough. Rises to unsteady feet and lets Nami shuffle him away from the yells of pain.

A few of Tesoro’s men make the mistake of rushing her and Zoro. None of them make it far before arms sprout out from their bodies and their spines snap. Fire burns in Robin’s eyes when Nami glances her way. A look Nami hasn't seen since Miss All Sunday. No remorse. Only satisfaction that those trying to hurt Robin’s nakama have been stopped. 

 

 

Every step burns through Zoro like fire. Pain he hasn't felt since Kuma. Nami’s arm tightens whenever his legs fail him. Bring both of them to the ground for a few seconds until Zoro can get himself up again. 

“It’s okay,” Nami assures him each time he stumbles. “It’s okay. I've got you.”

It really isn't okay. Zoro’s supposed to be protecting her. He should be spinning his katana. Lunging to strike the men after them. Instead, he sputters. Coughs. Tries to catch his breath. Robin and the cook jump around them. Blocking random attacks with the ease Zoro should have.

Nami helps him up for what must be the twentieth time. Steadies him. Promises him everything’s alright. They barely make it three steps before pain engulfs his right leg. Travels up to his knee and the familiar sensation of hardening gold freezes him. Buxus Iron burns against his skin. Melts more of his pants into flesh.

A scream of pain escapes Zoro’s lips. His body gives out. Pulls him and Nami to the ground. She turns as they fall, cradles his head as she lands on top of him with a cry of fear and surprise.

Tesoro laughs behind them. Nami spins her Clima-Tact. Zoro can't hear anything other than the pulse of his head. Agony pounding through his body. Tears blur his eyes. Black dances around the edge of his vision.

_ Don't pass out. Don’t pass out.  _

 

 

“Had I known you would be such a pain, halfbreed scum,” Tesoro growls as he stalks toward them. “I would have turned you into a gold statue and left it at that.”

Nami lets out of growl of rage and spins her Clima-Tact around. “Thunderbolt tempo!”

A gold tentacle shoots up to block the bolt. Zoro coughs beneath her. Nami wonders if he realizes a whine of pain left his lips. Part of her hopes not. Their proud swordsman would never want his nakama to know he's in pain. 

“Pathetic,” Tesoro hisses. “Do you really believe  _ you _ can stop  _ me _ ? With no money? No leg to stand on? Roronoa belongs to me.”

From far away, Luffy screams Tesoro’s name. Clearly, the gold-gold fruit user has a further reach than she expected. Nami’s heart pounds in her chest. Terror and rage battle for control. But her anger seeps into first place. No one,  _ no one _ owns her nakama. Her gaze moves around. Searches for something, anything to protect Zoro.

A small puddle catches her eye. A tiny collection of seawater, left over from Luffy’s arrival. She leans over Zoro, ignores his pained wheezes. The distant look in his eyes.  Her Clima-Tact sucks in the water with ease. Tesoro barely makes it three more steps before Nami snarls at him again.

“Rain temp,” she breathes.

Seawater rains down on the casino tyrant. He screams in agony, dances away from the rain. Nami swirls the rain back to Zoro’s leg. Watches the gold melt away.

“Okay,” she whispers, cradles his head in her hands and presses her forehead to his. “Zoro, I need you to get up, okay? Please.” Her voice quivers. Breaks in her terror. “Please.”

His response comes out in a cough. “Hai.”

Nami nods against his head. “Okay. Okay.”

Stumbling up takes time. Every time Zoro tries to stand, his leg betrays him. They hit the ground again and again.

“Sorry,” Zoro whispers. His eye glossy. Breath uneven. Nami wonders if he knows the word slipped free.

“Its okay,” she assures him. Pulls him up. “It's okay. We can do this.”

They manage to stay upright. Take a few unsteady steps before Tesoro reappears. Nami can practically see the anger pouring off of him. She tightens her grip around Zoro as he coughs against her. Feels his legs weaken again.

“Enough,” Tesoro snarls.

Sanji-kun’s name catches in her throat. Sits on the tip of her tongue. Nami will never be able to stop Tesoro without help. And Zoro is far too injured to be of any help. 

A deep, furious growl splits the air. Tesoro freezes. Pales. Nami blinks. In the span of a second, a large green dog stands between them and Tesoro. Nami recognizes it. Remembers seeing it morph into a tall man that resembled Zoro only two years ago. 

The beast throws its head back and lets out a long howl. The eerie sound echoes. Sends a chill down Nami’s spine.

“What's he doing? Calling a pack?” she mumbles. 

Zoro’s pain hazed eye moves to her. “You can hear him?”

She nods as another howl fills the air. “And see him.”

Zoro’s eyes widen in terror. He grabs her, pulls her into his chest and clamps both hands over her ears. A hard pressure that blocks out noises around her. She stares up at him, wide-eyed as he tucks her into his chest. Feels his jaw moving as he speaks, but can't hear what he's saying. 

The intimate touch lasts barely a minute. Zoro’s grip loosens, hands fall away. Nami’s hands shoot up to steady him as his head rests against her shoulder. A shudder runs through him. 

Nami glances over her shoulder as she holds the exhausted swordsman up right. His father has vanished. Left not a trace. Tesoro lays on his back. Twitches. Blood pouring from his mouth and ears.

“It’s the Call of Death.” Zoro coughs. “The third howl of a guide. Kills any who hear it.”

Fear clutches Nami’s chest. “Even you?” 

A wheezy laugh escapes him. “Can’t die. Promised.”

“Yeah,” Nami whispers. “You did.”

Sanji-kun arrives seconds later. Most of Tesoro’s men flee in terror. His lieutenants lay unconscious all around them. The rest of the crew help each other up and call out in search of Luffy, who has yet to reappear.

“What in the shitty Four Blues happened to you?” Sanji-kun demands, pulling one of Zoro’s arms over his shoulder.

The tense, angry tone does little to hide the fear in his eyes. Zoro coughs, shudders as Sanji-kun steadies him on his feet.

“Dinner and a show,” Zoro snarls back, no bite in his tone.

Chopper sprints toward them as Nami dips under Zoro’s other arm. He tenses and moans. Twists his arm until it rests differently on her shoulders.

“Cook,” Zoro mumbles after a few steps. His feet pause, body leans more towards Sanji-kun.

“What?” Sanji-kun stops as well. Concern still clear in his gaze as Zoro’s head rests on his shoulder.

“Gonna pass out now.”

“What? Zoro, no. Wait until-”

_ Until we have you on the ground. Until Chopper’s here. Until we get back to Sunny. _

Whatever Sanji-kun wanted to say is lost when Zoro’s full weight presses down on them and they end up stumbling to keep him for falling flat on his face.

 

 

It takes Chopper hours to clean all of Zoro’s wounds. Most of his body marred by third-degree burns with a few forth-degree on his wrists. Nami didn't even know fourth-degree burns existed. Leave it to Zoro to get such a rare injury. 

Robin and Luffy are the only ones allowed in the infirmary. Robin, because Chopper needs her help to dislodge the piece of fabric melted into Zoro’s flesh. Luffy, because the moment he saw Zoro’s still body, he refused to leave the swordsman’s side. 

Sanji-kun makes dinner for the remainder of their somber crew. Simple and fast. Puts aside plates for Chopper and his assistance and then joins them all on deck to wait.

Waiting, Nami learned long ago, is the worst part. Sanji-kun joins her at the helm, staring out at the night sky. He doesn't speak for a moment, instead listens to her soft sniffles before wrapping his suit coat around her.

“We should have gotten there sooner.” Nami’s voice shakes with tears. “I should have come up with a better plan.”

“Your plan was flawless, Nami-san,” Sanji-kun assures her. “This isn’t your fault.’

Tears blur Nami’s vision. “I should have been quicker.” 

“It isn't your fault,” Sanji-kun says against.

Nami leans against him. Tries to fight back the tears. Sanji-kun’s arm wraps around her. Pulls her close. 

“He’ll be fine, Nami-san,” Sanji-kun whispers. Kisses her forehead. “He’s Zoro.”

Nami’s lips tremble as she bites back a sob. The problem with that mentality, she doesn't tell Sanji-kun, is Zoro can't be strong all of the time. One day, Zoro isn't going to be okay. And they won't realize it. Because they always think Zoro’s okay.

 

 

Pain greets Zoro when he peels his eyelids open. The walls of Chopper’s infirmary sit around him as he pulls in deep breathes. Each one wheezes its way out of his lungs. A single candle flickers on Chopper’s desk, shows him the cook sitting in Chopper’s chair, flipping through a book.

Zoro opens his mouth but pushes out a soft moan instead of words. The cook’s gaze moans to him as he shifts. Numbness has taken over most of Zoro’s body. He can't feel his arms. His hands. His legs. And anything he can feel burns. 

“Yo, marimo,” the cook greets quietly. “You back with us?”

Zoro sucks in some oxygen to answer but it quickly morphs into a cough. 

“I'll take that as a yes.” 

Zoro nods, breathing deeply once the fit passes. He squeezes his eyes shut as a shiver races through him. Tries to breathe through the pain. 

“I've got some soup,” the cook says. Ignores the twitch that hits Zoro’s pain filled body. Zoro’s grateful for it. “Are you hungry?”

No. Zoro’s throat burns with agony. Stomach rocks with nausea. But the cook looks worried. Like he thinks Zoro might not be okay. A look that drops Zoro’s heart to his stomach. 

He should eat. Should show the cook he’s alright.

Zoro tries to reach for the food but nothing seems to happen. He can't feel his fingers so much as twitch. 

His eyes shoot to the cook and he knows the panic shows on his face. 

“Zoro?” Soft patience hangs in the cook’s voice. “What is it?”

A cough racks through. Steals his breath. “Hand. Can't move. Can’t feel.”

“That's alright.” The cook squats down in front of the bed and takes one of Zoro’s wrists. “Chopper numbed most of your body up so you wouldn't be in pain when you woke up. You're probably still just numb.”

The words make sense. Seem logical. But they do nothing to stop Zoro’s rapidly pounding heart. His chest heaves. He can't breathe. Can't move. Can't escape.

“Zoro,” the cook says firmly. “You need to breathe.”

The cook’s fingers dig into Zoro’s wrist. Kneading into the skin. Zoro wheezes. Tries to catch his breath as the cook works. 

“It’s just the medicine.” Calm words. Words Zoro can trust. The cook never sugar coats things. Not with Zoro. If this was bad, the cook would tell him. “You're fine. It’ll hurt in a minute.”

A third cough shakes Zoro’s body. His wrist flares with pain. Zoro yanks his arm away, cradles it to his chest. But he keeps his eyes on the cook.

“See? You're alright.”

Zoro nods. “S-s.”

_ Sorry,  _ Zoro wants to say.  _ Sorry, I worried you guys. Sorry, I'm weak. Sorry, I didn't protect you all well enough. _

“It’s sore?” the cook guesses.

Zoro shakes his head. Tries to clear his throat. The cook won’t be able to understand him if he can't talk. Most of the crew won’t. “L-luf.”

_ Luffy. I want Luffy _ .

“I'll get him.” The cook nods.

Zoro closes his eyes. Digs his fingers into his wrist. Feels the fire.

 

 

“Chopper.” Nami keeps her voice quiet. 

In the bed, Zoro sleeps soundly. Beside him, Luffy is only half awake in his chair. The captain hadn't left Zoro’s side since Sanji-kun came to get him yesterday. Only sits patiently. Waits for his swordsman to wake again.

Chopper scribbles in his notes. The young doctor barely leaves the infirmary. Like Luffy, his whole attention stays on Zoro. Writing notes on his condition. Looking for new herbs and salves to use for the deep tissue burns.

As she sets a small tray of food on his desk, she sees a small collection of glass jars. Each one with a tiny piece of iron. 

She reaches out to take one of the jars. “What are these?” 

Buxus Iron, she knows. That's what Zoro called it. But Chopper can't possibly know that. 

“I found it in Zoro’s burns.” Chopper yawns. Rubs his red eyes. “I can't figure out what it's doing there. But I think Zoro might be allergic to it?”

“Oh?”

"When Robin and I were taking it out, I dropped a piece. It seemed to really hurt him.” Chopper frowns deeply. “But I can't figure out why. I've never heard of someone being allergic to iron before.”

Nami frowns down at the iron in her hand. “Maybe you should get rid of it,” she says. “We don't want Zoro to find it.”

“Yeah.”

Nami sighs and glances down at him as he yawns. Everyone is on edge. Exhausted. Sanji-kun won't stop cooking. Franky keeps trying to build a shade so that Zoro’s burns won't be exposed to the sun. Brook plays Bink’s Sake every hour to lull Luffy back to sleep. Usopp and Nami run food back to an exhausted Chopper. And Zoro sleeps.  Wakes every few hours, either in pain or terrified because he can't feel anything. Luffy sits patiently each time he wakes. Waits to see which way it will go. When Zoro’s in pain, he calls Chopper to ease it. When he can't feel anything, Luffy massages his wrists until the pain comes back. Lets him relax into sleep again.

A vicious cycle.

Nami buries a hand in Chopper’s fur. “Go to sleep, Chopper. We’ll come get you if something happens.”

The small doctor shifts in his seat. “No, I'm fine.”

“Chopper,” Nami sighs. 

“Chopper go to bed,” Luffy orders, softly. “Nami too.”

“Luffy,” Chopper protests.

“Go.” No malice sits in Luffy’s voice. Just exhaustion.

“Come on, Chopper.” Nami ushers him toward the door.

“No, I need to stay.” Chopper wiggles away from her grip.

“Chopper.” Luffy’s voice hardens. 

“He smells like death!” Fear and desperation swirls through Chopper’s voice. The air around them grows cold. Tears fill his eyes  “All I can smell is death. Not how Zoro normally smells. Stronger. Worse. So, I need to stay here.”

Luffy blinks at his doctor. Then he smiles gently. “Zoro isn't going to die.”

“Luffy.”

“Zoro isn't going to die,” Luffy repeats. “He promised. Now, Chopper needs to go to sleep.”

Chopper sniffles and wipes the tears from his eyes but lets Nami lead him out of the room. She sits in the men’s room with him until he sniffles himself to sleep.

 

 

Zoro wakes with sweat drenching his body. His wrists  _ burn _ with agony he can’t forget. His lungs heave,  _ burn _ against the gold poured into them. Tears sting his eyes as he swallows a scream. Tries to block out the laughter of Tesoro. The smell of skin searing away from his arms. Pinned to the golden cross surrounding him. His brain screams for the In-Between. Begs for his father. But he can’t leave. Can’t move. Can’t speak. Can’t breathe.

“Zoro.” Luffy’s voice is soft. Warm hands wrap around Zoro’s wrists, massaging the numbness away and replacing it with pain. Pain that feels so good. So real. “It’s time for Zoro to wake up.”

Heavy breathes.  _ Zoro’s _ hyperventilating breathes fill the air. He forces his eyes open. Finds his captain leaning over him. Luffy looks sad. So sad and broken at the sight of Zoro. Shaking with suppressed sobs. Trying so desperately not to wake the rest of the crew as ghost pain rips through him.

“Zoro’s okay,” Luffy whispers. “Zoro’s okay.”

“S-s-s-s.” An apology sticks in Zoro’s throat. He can’t force out the word. Just hiccups over the same letter over and over.

“Zoro’s okay,” Luffy says again.

Zoro’s not okay. He can’t fight. Can’t protect his nakama. That’s what Zoro’s supposed to do. That’s what Zoro’s good for. Protecting his friends. What good is being immortal if he lets a little pain scare him? What good is _ Zoro _ if a little pain scares him?

Luffy leans over him patiently. Brushes a hand through Zoro’s sweat soaked hair. Every once in a while, he presses his head to Zoro’s. Breathes deeply for Zoro to follow his lead. Eventually, Zoro’s breathing calms. Melts into tired heaves of his chest and a trembling jaw. 

A weak smile lights Luffy’s face. His warmth pours over Zoro. Lets Zoro relax.

“I’m sorry, Luffy,” Zoro whispers. 

“Zoro doesn’t have to be sorry,” Luffy assures him. Brushes a stray tear from Zoro’s cheek. “Zoro didn’t do anything wrong.”

Shivers make their way down Zoro’s spine. Luffy snatches another blanket and tucks it around Zoro. Through half-lidded eyes, Zoro watches Luffy crawl into bed beside him. Feels his captain’s warm settle in the bed. Rubber limbs move carefully around Zoro’s waist, trying to avoid the burns on his torso. Luffy nestles his nose against Zoro’s back. Rubs a thumb over the unmarred part of Zoro’s skin. 

_ Zoro’s safe with me. _

Luffy’s unspoken words hang around Zoro. Allow him to relax into Luffy’s body. Tesoro’s voice lingers in the back of his mind but Luffy’s whispers begin to drown out the terrible laughter. The captain talks about random topics. Tells Zoro about Usopp’s latest antics. And how Brook learned a new song. The cook tried a new recipe. 

The crew is safe. Away from the cursed gold city. Away from the crazy man who played god. They’re all safe.

Zoro’s half asleep when something cold and wet presses against the hand he has hanging off the bed. He forces his eyes open to find a green muzzle against his skin. Luffy’s slow breathes tell Zoro his captain’s fallen asleep again. Zoro’s father looks up at him with concerned eyes and nuzzles his hand again. A silent message.

He’d heard Zoro’s cry in the night and he’d come.

“Dad,” he whispers. “It hurts.”

His father’s form shifts. A large, human hand brushes through Zoro’s hair. Dark, black eyes watch him with sympathy.

“I know.” His father’s voice is soft as well. Matching Zoro’s volume even though the others can’t hear him. “I know, but it will pass.”

“When?”

“When the last of the Buxus leaves your burns.”

A small whimper escapes him despite his best efforts. Even with the antibiotic wraps around the worst of the burns - blistered skin that will scar around his wrists, parts of his forearms and legs - pain still rocks through Zoro if he tightens his muscles or moves too quickly. Though, getting out of bed proves to be the most tiresome part. The crew dance around him. Act like he’s fragile or watch him with such pity it makes his sick. Not even the cook treats him normally. 

They’ve seen him injured before. A thousand times, it seems. But they’ve never seen him like this.  _ Weak _ . Unable to protect them. He shudders at the thought of what the crew must think of him now. The man meant to be their protector. Reduced to a shivering wreck because of a few burns. Got all twitchy after a little bit of torture. 

Zoro should be able to handle that. He should be stronger than that.

His father lets out a soft sigh. Traces his thumb across Zoro’s hairline. “It should be soon,” he assures Zoro. “Within a few days, you should be able to heal normally.”

“They’ll scar.”

“You’ve never cared about scars before.”

“These are different scars.”

Luffy stirs against his back. Zoro presses his lips together. The last thing he needs to do is wake his captain again. Luffy doesn’t need to be any more concerned than he already is. 

“The pain will be gone soon, Zoro,” his father says. “Right now, you need to get some sleep. Rest can only help.” 

Zoro nods and closes his eyes. The warmth of his father’s hand doesn’t leave his hair, even as awareness fades to sleep.

 

 

Nami swallows a scream when she opens her eyes. A large Guide sits in front of her bed. Watching her with dark red eyes. She shoots up in bed, flails backward and lands hard on the ground. Gasps for breath. 

On the other side of the bed, she hears the Guide snort. 

“I'm not going with you,” Nami tells him, poking her head over the bed. 

“That is not what I'm here for.” He pauses. Stares hard at her. “Vivi? No. Robin? No. Nami.”

“What?”

The dog rolls its eyes. “Zoro insists I know the name of his mortals.”

“You're his father.”

“Hai.” He leaps onto Nami’s bed and settles to look down at her. “I've come to ask you to get rid of the Buxus Iron. The emergency food supplies has left the vials in the room with Zoro.”

“Chopper,” Nami corrects. “His name is Chopper.”

Zoro’s father sighs. “Yes. Yes. You mortals all have names. Now, back to the iron.”

“Chopper will get rid of it when he’s done with it.”

“Your reindeer has had it for a week. If Zoro discovers it, it will not end well. He has a terrible habit of trying to train his body against weaknesses.”

“Even  _ Zoro _ isn't that stupid.”

As the words leave her mouth, Nami knows they're a lie. Zoro is a lot stupider than that.

His father raises an eyebrow at her. “Never underestimate the stupidity of my son. Please rid this ship of Buxus Iron. Goodbye.”

He's gone before she can speak another word. A dog of few words apparently. Like father, like son, she supposes.

 

 

The Buxus Iron burns his skin as hot as the first time. Zoro grits his teeth against the pain. Tries to hold onto his strength. If Tesoro figured it out, anyone can figure it out. He needs to be stronger. Better. 

Nami - the damn witch - had been smart. The collection of small bottles with Buxus Iron disappeared the day after Zoro could finally stand on his own two feet again. Luckily, Zoro was smart enough to grab one of the pieces and hide it in his pocket.

For the most part, the crew leaves him alone in the small infirmary. Let him sleep. Chopper pops in once every hour on the dot. Which makes it easy to track. Once the door closes, Zoro dumps the iron into his hand and holds it. Ignore the way it digs into his flesh, burns deeply. After five minutes, he drops it. Lets the burn heal over for ten minutes. Then tries it for six minutes. 

After three days, he still hasn't made it to seven minutes. 

Which he needs to. He needs to make it to seven minutes. Hell, Zoro needs to make it to hours in Buxus Iron. Needs to keep himself from becoming a hazard to the crew. One time was enough.

“Damn it, Zoro.”

His father’s voice startles him. The iron slips from his fingers. His father’s very human form stands in the corner, glaring at him. 

“What the  _ fuck _ are you doing?”

“Getting stronger.” Talking still hurts. Scrapes against his still burned throat.

“You're going to ruin your hand.”

“It healed.”

A dark look glimmers in his father’s eyes. “Zoro.”

“I need to get stronger,” Zoro tells him and scoops up the iron again. “I almost got them killed.”

“Zoro, you can't fight against Buxus Iron. It’s impossible.”

“Nothing’s impossible.”

“Zoro.”

“It’s fine.” His palm sizzles beneath the iron. But, for the first time, it doesn't hurt. “I'm fine.”

 

 

Nami’s drink slips from her hand and shatters on the floor when Zoro’s father appears again. A gasp leaves her lips and she jumps away from the shattered glass. Sanji-kun rushes over. Checks on her and cleans up the mess. The rest of the crew go back to their business once the noise is pinpointed. Though, Nami can feel Robin’s eyes on her. 

“I'll grab you another drink, Nami-san.”

Normally, Nami would refuse. Or, do their usual refusal dance. But now, she needs the air around her to be empty. Everyone out of earshot.

“Thank you, Sanji-kun.” 

As soon as he vanishes, Nami spins back to the Guide. “What are you doing?”

He glares up at her. “I asked you to rid this ship of Buxus Iron.”

“I did,” Nami hisses. “I dumped it overboard.”

“Well, you missed some.”

Annoyance pours from his voice. Hard eyes stare at her with disappointment. His eyes shoot to the infirmary door. A silent order. Then he turns and vanishes again.

Fear and disbelief coil in her stomach. There's no way. She threw all of it overboard before Zoro could get himself out of bed alone. Chopper complained for days when Nami said she wanted to get rid of the iron. He wanted more time to study Zoro’s reaction, but eventually agreed to get rid of it all. 

Nami feels of Luffy and Robin’s gaze as she crosses to the infirmary. Neither move to follow her. Zoro doesn't stir when she opens the door. Soft, even breathing means he’s definitely sleeping soundly.

The soft click her heels don't wake him as she crosses to his bed. Eyes moving over his still form. His right palm is a bright, angry red. It stands out against the glossy, healing marks on his wrist and the white bandages around his arms and neck. Nami’s jaw clenches and she glares down at his sleeping form. 

It takes a good amount of searching for Nami to finally find the small vial of Buxus Iron. Tucked away in the pocket of his pants. The glass cracks in her grip as she stands, heart slamming in her chest. 

Of all the stubborn, idiotic thing to do.

“Nami-san?” Sanji-kun calls after her as she storms from the infirmary and straight up to the crow’s nest. 

The glass trembles in her hand. Threatens to shatter under her rage. If he thinks, for two seconds, Nami is about to let him do this, let him hurt himself under the guise of protecting them, he’s dead fucking wrong.

 

 

“What did you do to Nami-san?” the cook demands when he storms in with a bowl of soup.

Zoro’s barely been awake for five minutes. Hasn't seen anyone other than Chopper - who’s still fretting around because Zoro can't get rid of this stupid fucking cough. To say he isn't in the mood for the cook’s shit is an understatement.

“Sanji,” Chopper scowls. “You promised you wouldn't start a fight.”

A promise that had been made weeks ago, in Zoro’s presence with Luffy looming over them. The doctor worries about internal damage. Damage that's difficult to gauge the healing of. Which means, no fighting. Not until Chopper gives the all clear.

“That was before the shitty marimo upset Nami-san!”

“I didn’t do shit,” Zoro growls back before hacking a cough out of his stinging throat. “I haven't even seen the witch.”

“Don’t talk about Nami-san like that!”

As much as Zoro’s relieved to have the cook treating him normally again, he wishes the bastard would stop yelling. Each girlish screech from the cook’s mouth is like a knife to Zoro’s skull.

“Sanji,” Chopper scolds again when Zoro flinches at the raised voice. “If you can't be quiet, you can't come in.”

“He upset Nami-san!”

“I haven't even seen her,” Zoro snarls, putting a head to his temple to try and tame the pounding. “I just woke up for fuck’s sake. Shut up.”

Another cough rips through him. Tears at his throat. Vaguely, he hears Chopper kicking the cook out of his infirmary. Why is it the cook always thinks  _ Zoro _ is the cause of Nami’s bitch fits will forever be a mystery.

If the witch had been in to see him, he'd been asleep. How in God’s name could he piss her off when sleeping? 

Unless.

Zoro’s hand moves to his pocket. Prays for the small oval shape of the Buxus Iron’s container. He finds nothing. Which explains exactly why Nami is so pissed.

Well shit.

 

 

It takes two more days for Chopper to allow Zoro to wander the ship freely. Let him sleep in the men’s bunkroom again. Get back to semi-normality. He doesn't wear a shirt. Any kind of fabric rubs against his burns. Irritates the skin free of bandages. None of the others complain, as long as he wears pants too.

Liquid food remains on the menu. And will for the next few weeks according to Chopper. And no booze, which is a crock of shit. But, Chopper’s convinced it will ruin his throat even more.

Most of the crew goes back to normal as well. The cook has moved on from their earlier spat and simply tells Zoro he’s a mannerless brute. Franky shows Zoro the newly created shades on Sunny’s deck to sit under so the sun won't irritate his burns. Luffy finally stops looking at him like he's going to have a mental breakdown.

Nami, though. Nami treats Zoro like he doesn't exist. Pointedly ignored him and won’t look at him, let alone speak to him.

“Nami’s mad at you.” Merry appears beside him, beneath one of Franky’s many shades.

The two Klabautermann haven't spoken to Zoro much either. Every time they attempted to strike up a conversation with him in the infirmary, Chopper or Luffy would appear. Though, Zoro remembers hearing them early on. Their soft voices calling to wake him whenever he found himself trapped too deep in sleep.

Now, Sunny dances around the grass after Usopp and Chopper. Laughing as she joins their game of tag, even if they can't see her. Zoro smiles gently as he leans back against the Sunny’s rails. Exhaustion seeping through his body from the walk up the men’s stairs and onto the deck. Merry settled beside him, staring out at the rest of the crew.

“Hai,” Zoro agrees. “I've noticed.”

Merry frowns up at him. “You should go talk to her.”

Zoro hums and closes his eyes. 

“Zo-Ro,” Merry whines. Sounds way too much like Luffy. “You hurt her feelings.”

“Eh?”

Hurt her feelings? That made absolutely no sense. Zoro hadn't insulted her. Hadn't said anything rude.

All he tried to do was get stronger. He shouldn't have to apologize for that.

“Go talk to her.”

“Merry,” Zoro sighs.

“Please.” She tugs gently on his pants. Tears dance in her eyes. “Please go talk to her. She’s sad!”

Zoro lets out a small breath. “Yosh. Yosh. Just, let me sleep a little first, okay?”

 

 

“Yo.”

Zoro’s soft voice floats in from the door. Nami’s hand pauses over her chart and she takes a deep breath before she straightens. He leans against the doorframe, watching her with cautious eyes. Nami tries not to look at the shriveled skin and bandages coating his arms, neck, and torso. Tries not to wonder how many of those he may have put their himself.

“Are you going to tell me why you're so pissed off?”

Nami glares at him. If he didn't look so close to keeling over, she would have punched him.

“Is that a no?”

“Get in here and shut the damn door.”

Amazingly, Zoro does it without complaint. Nami slides her chair over to him and he sits, face twists in slight discomfort. She waits until he's seated to throw the small bottle at him.

“What the hell, Zoro?” she snarls.

He glances down at the iron in his hand. “What do you want me to say?” he asks after a long pause.

Definite eyes look up at her. Dare her to question his idiotic decisions.

“I want you to tell me why you had that.”

She knows why. Even if his father hadn't told her, the reason would be obvious. But she wants to hear him say it. Needs to him to hear himself say it. Realize how stupid he is.

“I was training.”

“You idiot,” she seethes. “You hurt yourself!”

“It stopped hurting.”

“That probably means you destroyed your nerve endings, moron”

Zoro shrugs. “Then pain won't slow me down.”

Nami barely bites back a scream. If she could, she would punch him in that stupid, questioning face. 

“What?” he snaps. “I'm just trying to make sure this never happens again.”

“You don't do that by hurting yourself!”

“I'm not. I'm training.”

This time, Nami does let out a sharp, stifled squeal of rage. Zoro winces at the sound. Sanji-kun appears instantly. Swings the door open and looks around in a panic.

“Nami-san-"

“Get. Out!”

Sanji-kun blinks in surprise but follows the order and closes the door behind him. Nami’s jaw trembles. Her nails bite into her palms.

“You.” She stumbles over words. “You. Stupid, suicidal, idiotic idiot!” She slams her foot on the floor. Feels Sunny shake beneath her. “You selfish bastard! What is wrong with you?”

Zoro’s body tenses and he glares back at her. “I should have been stronger. You could have been killed.”

“Oh, no. No. You don't get to use us to defend your suicidal decisions.”

“It isn't suicidal,” Zoro snaps. “It's training.”

“It’s hurting you.”

“So what?”

“God! You're like talking to a brick wall, you know that? Hurting yourself isn't training. It's being an idiot!”

Zoro glares at her. “I need to be strong.”

“You are strong.”

“Not strong enough.” Zoro shakes his head. “I could have gotten you all killed because I wasn’t strong enough to get myself out. You shouldn't have to worry about me.”

“No matter how strong you are, we will always worry about you. That's what nakama means.”

Zoro shakes his head as he stands. “You don't understand.”

“Then explain it to me.” She crosses the room and snatches the iron from his hand. “Explain to me how this is a good idea!”

“It’ll make me stronger.”

“No. It won't. It’s just going to hurt you. You're already in enough pain. Why the hell would you want more?”

“Because I learn to ignore it.”

Frustration shakes her body. Trembles her jaw. “Pain is there for a reason, Zoro. You shouldn't be teaching yourself to ignore it.”

“I need to be stronger.”

“No, you don't!” She stomps her foot. The only way she can vent her anger without physically hitting him instead. “You don't. Because we’re here. And we’re strong when you can't be. That's what nakama do. That's what we are. Being strong isn't your only option anymore.”

For the first time, Nami watches his facade start to slip. Sees surprise and uncertainty. Because Zoro hasn't realized that yet. After everything, Zoro doesn't think that they can take care of him.

Hurt blossoms in her chest. She glares up at him.

“You know what your real problem is, Zoro? Why you're so stuck on this training kick? Because you refuse to believe that. You refuse to think that you have other choices.” She slams the vial against the burn free spot on his chest. Waits until his hand comes up to catch it before she lets go. “For all the time you spent worrying that we didn't believe in you. Didn't want you. Didn't trust you. You never _once_ trusted us.”

Nami throws the door open and storms back out on the deck without another word. Zoro stands silent behind her.

 

 

“What's Zoro got?”

Luffy bounces over to sit beside Zoro. Legs hanging off the edge of Sunny. Zoro rolls the vial of Buxus Iron in his hand, watches the moonlight reflect off the glass. The captain glances down at the small piece of iron, head cocked to the side.

“That's the stuff Chopper pulled out of Zoro’s arms.” Luffy frowns at it. “I thought Chopper threw all that overboard.”

“He missed some,” Zoro mumbles.

Nami’s words keep replaying in his head. Rock his stomach. He wants to say it isn't true. Wants to tell her how ridiculous the statement is. Zoro loves his nakama. He knows they would never leave him. Would never hurt him. 

But Zoro isn't sure if he trusts them to be strong enough to save him.

Luffy reaches out and plucks the iron from his hand. “How come Zoro kept it?”

“I don't know.”

Luffy’s frown deepens. “Zoro,” he says quietly. “No more training.”

Not no more weights. Not no more pushups. 

Luffy means no more iron. Luffy means no more pain.

“Yosh.”

“Does Zoro trust us?” Luffy asks. “ _ Really _ trust us. To protect him.”

“Not without getting yourselves killed.”

There's no point in lying to Luffy. The captain reads him like a children’s book. And Luffy won’t get upset. Not like Nami.

“We did though,” Luffy says matter-of-factly. “We got Zoro away from Tesoro.”

“You could have died.”

“But we didn't.” Luffy sighs. “Zoro’s dumb. He worries more about what could have happened then what did happen. We saved Zoro. And everyone is okay.” The captain dumps the iron into Zoro’s hand again. “Ace used to say if we worried too much about the ‘what if’s we lose all the good that did happen. Does Zoro know we love him?”

Zoro looks up at Luffy. Big brown eyes asking for a solid answer.  _ Do you know I love you? _ Zoro doesn't ask.

“Hai,” he answers instead.

“And Zoro knows we didn't get hurt this time. Saving him.”

“Hai.”

Luffy nods. “So, Zoro doesn't need this anymore."

Luffy doesn’t ask what it is. Part of Zoro wonders if his captain already knows. Luffy reads him so flawlessly it’d be a miracle if Luffy  _ didn’t _ know. 

“Right?” Luffy presses.

Zoro holds his hand out over the water and lets the vial of iron fall to the sea.

“Right.”


End file.
